Muscovites search for eggs, the agriculture ministry promotes peat, and women go to work

RBTH turns the clock back a century and shines a light on the now-forgotten stories being reported on the inside pages of Russian newspapers in 1915 and the events and processes occupying the minds of the Russians of the age. Travel back in time with us week by week for a sense of what life was like in the twilight days of the Russian Empire.

Courses on
peat production

The peat
business in Russia, thank God, is developing. In this time we live in, with its
high cost of firewood and charcoal, the widespread use of peat as a fuel is
almost a vital issue. But peat is also used to fertilize the soil and as litter
for cattle. Demand for this product from our vast swamps increases with every year.

To meet
these necessities of life, the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Use has organized
special courses at the peat department to train masters in the peat business.
These courses will last only six months, from April 15 to October 15.

No fee is
charged for attending the lectures and participating in practical classes.
Persons who have attended the lectures, successfully completed the practical
classes and passed a test will be issued a special certificate and awarded the
title of master of the peat business.

Petrogradskiye
Vedomosti, March 18, 1915

Egg famine

A most
curious phenomenon was observed in Moscow yesterday. By two o'clock, eggs
suddenly stopped being sold everywhere. Already in the morning, all the shops
that sell eggs would sell only limited quantities. No more than half a dozen
eggs could be sold to one person, and throughout the day the price increased. Early
in the morning, eggs were still sold at 40-50 kopeks, but by one in the afternoon
the price of eggs had reached in some areas 10 rubles and higher.

To the
worried questions of the public, which besieged stores and shops, salespeople gave
a stereotypical response: "there are no eggs and no one knows when there will
be.”

Supplies of
eggs to Moscow stopped several days ago. This situation has put the majority of
Muscovites in a rather difficult position. Many face the unpleasant prospect of
not having red eggs on Easter.

Moskovsky
Listok, March 19, 1915

Sale of wine
to Jews

The head of
the city has allowed the economic boards of Jewish prayer houses and synagogues
to acquire from March 1 to March 24 – with the permission by bailiffs – wine
for the needs of religious ceremonies. The sale of Peisachovka [raisin vodka
used by Jews on Passover – RBTH] is not allowed.

Stolichnaya
Moskva, March 16, 1915

Women and
war

According
to the estimates of official agencies, 500 women in Moscow have replaced their
husbands as porters and up to 100 have replaced men as janitors, working with
assistants. There are female night watchmen, mostly at warehouses and stables
on the outskirts. Women are now applying for permission to work as cabbies
instead of their husbands.

There have emerged women newsboys. More than 500 women
work on trams. This includes women conductors, pointsmen, rail cleaners,
couriers, messengers, and so on. The number of women tram employees must
inevitably grow, as now more than 500 men have again been drafted, which is
one-sixth of the total number of employees.

Moskovskiye
Gubernskiye Vedomosti, March 21, 1915

Behind
enemy lines

According
to reports from Copenhagen, a deep psychological depression has been felt in
Berlin during the holidays. There was no sound of laughter, jokes or boastful
remarks about the Allies. Most surprising was the complete lack of street preachers
speaking on military topics.

Most of the newspapers came out without
editorials. Furthermore, there were no reviews of events or predictions about
upcoming brilliant successes even in the chauvinist press. All the newspapers
generally advised to hold firm and not to despair. Proclamations demanding
bread and immediate peace are distributed everywhere by unknown persons.